India on Monday took stock of the ongoing modification process of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a pact that was inked 62 years ago between India and Pakistan for the management of cross-border rivers.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the sixth meeting of the Steering Committee on matters related to the IWT of 1960 took place on April 17. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Secretary V M Kwatra.
It added: “Matters related to ongoing Neutral Expert proceedings pertaining to the Kishenganga and Ratle Hydroelectric Projects were also discussed.”
Earlier this year, India had issued a notice to Pakistan for modification of the IWT of September 1960. The notice, sent on January 25, through the Commissioner for Indus Waters, gives Pakistan 90 days to consider entering into intergovernmental negotiations to rectify the material breach of the treaty.
The notice had invoked Article XII (3) of the treaty, which says: “The provisions of this Treaty may from time to time be modified by a duly ratified treaty…” (Indian Express)